Method of treating clothers in a clothes dryer with a foam containing an adjuvant material

ABSTRACT

A METHOD OF TREATING CLOTHING ARTICLES WITH ADJUVANT MATERIAL IN A CLOTHES DRYER IS DIXCLOSED, WHICH COMPRISES CONTACTING THE CLOTHING ARTICLES WITH A FOAM CONTAINING SAID ADJUVANT MATERIAL. ALSO, ADJUVANT-CONTAINING COMPOSITIONS ARE DISCLOSED WHICH PROVIDE A STABLE, SUBSTANTIALLY FORM-SUSTAINING, EASILY DISTRIBUTABLE FOAM WHEN DISPENSED FROM AN AEROSOL CONTAINER, SAID COMPOSITIONS COMPRISING BY WEIGHT OF THE TOTAL COMPOSITION (A) FROM ABOUT 1.0 TO 30.0 PERCENT OF AN ADJUVANT MATERIAL, (B) FROM ABOUT 50.0 TO 94.0 PERCENT OF A SOLUBILIZER, (C) FROM ABOUT 5.0 TO 25.0 PERCENT OF A PROPELLANT AND (D) FROM 0 TO 30.0 OF A FOAMING AGENT.

United States Patent O 3,796,599 METHOD OF TREATING CLOTHES IN A CLOTHES DRYER WITH A FOAM CONTAINING AN ADJ UVANT MATERIAL James Hugh McLaughlin, Ridgefield, N.J., assignor to Center for New Product Development, Inc. No Drawing. Filed July 21, 1971, Ser. No. 164,917 Int. Cl. C083 1/44 US. Cl. 117139.5 CQ 7 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A method of treating clothing articles with an adjuvant material in a clothes dryer is disclosed, which comprises contacting the clothing articles with a foam containing said adjuvant material. Also, adjuvant-containing compositions are disclosed which provide a stable, substantially form-sustaining, easily distributable foam when dispensed from an aerosol container, said compositions comprising by weight of the total composition (a) from about 1.0 to 30.0 percent of an adjuvant material, (b) from about 50.0 to 94.0 percent of a solubilizer, (c) from about 5.0 to 25.0 percent of a propellant and (d) from to 30.0 of a foaming agent.

This invention relates to a method for treating clothing articles with adjuvant materials and to compositions therefor. More specifically it relates to a method for treating clothing articles while in a clothes dryer, i.e., in a tumbling dry-heat, substantially anhydrous environment, and to aerosol compositions therefor.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The use of various adjuvants in home laundry products has been a common practice for many years. Such products are often of the type particularly suitable for use in washing machines. Among the adjuvants included in detergents and as wash-cycle additives are fabric softeners, ironing aids, germicides, soil release agents, stain repellents, deodorizers, etc. Only rarely has the deployment of an adjuvant in a composition for use in a clothes dryer been contemplated even though such composition would be very advantageous, since residual detergents and waterrinsing cycles detract from the efficiency of the adjuvants applied. However, the use of dryer-employed compositions has been discouraged because of the environmental conditions met within the dryer which have substantially prevented, heretofore, the effective distribution of such adjuvants within the dryer. Obviously, if such adjuvants cannot be distributed widely and effectively, there can be no effective use of adjuvant-containing compositions in a dryer.

The problem, then, is to provide a method for use in a clothes dryer environment, i.e-, a tumbling, dry-heat, anhyrous environment, which will insure adequate distribution of the adjuvant material to the clothing. A second problem is to provide a composition suitable for use in the dryer environment.

It might be expected that adjuvant materials could be easily applied and distributed uniformly to a load of clothing in a clothes dryer because of the heat and mechanical tumbling action of the dryer as well as the occluded water present in the clothing. However, experience has shown ,that this is not the case. In fact, as stated above, exactly the contrary has proven to be the case.

3,796,599 Patented Mar. 12,, 1974 None of the prior art methods have overcome satisfactorily the aforesaid distribution problems connected with the use of adjuvants in a clothes dryer.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is a primary object of the subject invention to provide a method of treating articles of clothing with an adjuvant material by contacting said clothing with an easily distributable foam containing said adjuvant material in a clothes dryer.

A second object of the subject invention is to provide a foamable composition containing an adjuvant material for use in a clothes dryer.

Another object of the invention is to provide said foamable composition in a pressurized container.

According to the present invention, a method for treating articles of clothing with an adjuvant material comprises contacting at least a portion of said clothing articles with a foam containing said adjuvant material, and subjecting said foam-contacted clothing to a tumbling, dryheat, anhydrous environment.

Also, according to the present invention a composition suitable to be dispensed from an aerosol container for use in a clothes dryer, comprises by weight of the total composition (a) from about 1.0 to 30.0 percent of an adjuvant material, (b) from about 50.0 to 94.0 percent of a solubilizer, (c) from about 5.0 to 25.0 percent of a propellant, and (d) from 0 to 30 percent by weight of a foaming agent, said (a), (b), (c) and (d) providing a substantially form-sustaining, substantially non-penetrating, surface adherent, easily distributable foam when dispensed from said aerosol container.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The foamable composition described broadly above and in all of its embodiments is a discretely balanced mixture of ingredients, each ingredient present contributing to the overall result- In the practice of this invention, the mixture of ingredients is tailored to produce a foam having the desired characteristics of stability, substantial form-sustentation, substantial non-penetrability, surface adherency and distributability. The method of this in- 'vention, in its broadest form, comprises contacting at least a portion of the clothing articles in a clothes dryer with a foam containing an adjuvant material, and thereafter subjecting the clothing to the normal action of the dryer.

The adjuvant materials which may be employed in the present invention include fabric softeners such as dimethyl dihydrogenated tallow ammonium chloride and 1- methyl-1-alkyl-amindoethyl-2-alkylimidozolinium methosulfate, bis-(Z-hydroxyethyl)-alkyl-amine oxide, etc. 7 Other adjuvants which may be employed include, but are not limited to deodorizers such as 2,2-dihydroxy-5,5- dichlorodiphenyl-methane 2,2. di'hydroxy 3,5,6,3',5',6'- hexachlorodiphenylmethane, dihydroxytetrachlorodiphenyl thioether, tribromosalicylanilide, disinfectants such as cetyl trimethyl ammonium bromide, benzalkonium chloride, sodium benzene sulfochloramide, and water repellants such as N-methylolstearamide.

The adjuvants useful in this invention may also include antistats such as alkyl polyethoxyamide, sodium salt of sulfate ester of an alkylphenoxypoly (ethyleneoxy)ethanol, wrinkle removers such as bis-(2-hydroxyethyl) alkyl-amine oxide, lint removers such as oleic imidazoline,

cleaners such as sodium di(2-ethylhexyl) phosphate, soil repellants such as potassium salt of peptide coco fatty acid condensate, color brighteners such as sulfated castor oil, glycerine, mineral oil, paraffin, propylyene glycol, cetyl alcohol, isopropyl myristate, optical brighteners such as stibene triazole, vinylene-bis-benzoxazole, DAS-triazine, disodium 4,4'-bis(4-anilino, 6-morpholino-s-triazine-2-y1 amino)2,2'-stilbene disulfonate, sodium naphthotriazole- 2-stilbene sulfonate and 2-stryryl-naphth(1,2d) oxazole and emollients such as talc, isopropyl myristate, cetyl alcohol, etc.

Additional adjuvants useful in this invention may also include various color dyes such as sodium salt of o-tolueneazo-o-toluene-azo B naphthylamine-6-sulphonic acid (red), sodium salt of p sulphobenzene-azo-B-napthol (orange), sodium salt of aminoazobenzene disulphonic acid, together with some of the sodium salt of aminobenzene mono-sulphonic acid (yellow), sodium salt of di- -benzyldiethyldiamino-triphenylcarbinol disulphonic acid anhydride (green), sodium salt of 1:5-diphenylamino-2:6- dihydroxyanthraquinone-3:7-disulphonic acid (blue), and a mixture of the hydrochlorides of the more highly methylated pararosanilines, containing principally the tetra-, pentaand hexamethyl derivatives (violet).

The adjuvant materials may be employed in the compositions of the instant invention in amounts of from about 1.0 to 30.0 percent by weight of the total composition, and preferably between about 5 to 25 percent by weight of the total composition. The lower preferred limit can be reduced with the addition of foaming agents as later defined.

The solubilizers employed in the present invention include but are not limited to water, methanol, ethanol, isopropanol, n-propanol, isobutyl alcohol, n-butyl alcohol, secondary-butyl alcohol, amyl alcohol, cyclohexanol, nhexanol, benzene, toluene, xylene, methyl acetate, ethyl acetate, isobutyl acetate, n-butyl acetate, secondary-butyl acetate, methyl cellosolve acetate, amyl acetate, n-butyl propionate, cellosolve acetate, 2-methoxyethanol, 2-butoxyethanol, n-butyl ether, methylene chloride, carbon tetrachloride, perchloroethylene, trichlorobenzene, isopropylbenzene, and mixtures thereof. The solubilizers are employed in amounts ranging from about 50.0 to 94.0 percent by weight of the total composition, and preferably between about 65 to 85 percent by weight of the total composition.

The propellants in the present invention include any of the well known hydrocarbon or fluorinated hydrocarbon propellants such as trichloromonofluoromethane, Freon- 12, i.e., dichlorodifluoromethane, dichloromonofiuoromethane, chlorodifiuoromethane, methylene chloride, dichlorotetrafiuoroethane, octafluorocyclobutane, chloropentafluoroethane, propane, isobutane, n-butane, vinyl chloride, dimethyl ether, chlorodifluoroethane, ethyl chloride, nitrous oxide, carbon dioxide, nitrogen, and/or mixtures of any or all of the above. Propellants are employed in a range of from about 5.0 to 25.0 percent by Weight of the total composition. It should be noted that the propellant additionally can .act as a solubilizer and can be 'used instead of another solubilizer to some extent.

Also, various inhibitors may be added to the composition depending on the nature of the aerosol container. These inhibitors include sodium nitrite, sodium benzoate and morpholine. These ingredients are generally present in amounts ranging from about 0 to 1.0 percent by weight of the total composition.

The foaming agents which may be included in the present invention are, alkanolamides, alkyl sulfonates, sulfated and sulfonated amines and amides, betaiue derivatives, diphenyl sulfonate derivatives, ethoxylated alcohols, ethoxylated alkyl phenols, ethoxylated amines and amides, ethoxylated fatty acids, imidazoline, isethionates, phosphate derivatives, protein derivatives, quaternary ammonium compounds, sarcosine derivatives, succinated, sulfo derivatives, alcohol sulfates, ethoxylated alcohol sulfates of ethoxylated alcohols, sulfonates of naphthalene and akyl naphthalenes, sulfated ethoxylated alkyl phenols, sulfated fatty esters, sulfated and sulfonated oils and fatty acids, benzene, toluene and xylene sulfonates, dodecyl and tridecyl benzene sulfonates and free acids, petroleum sulfonates, taurates, tertiary amine oxides, thio and mercapto derivatives, salts of tallow fatty acids, salts of coco fatty acids, salts of stearic acid, and mixtures thereof. These materials are generally present in the instant invention in amounts of from 0 to about 30.0 by Weight of the total composition.

In practice, the compositions of the present invention are conveniently sprayed from an aerosol container. In this regard, any aerosol containers of the type normally used for spraying compositions can be used, such as those of aluminum, tin plate, glass, etc. In like manner, any typical spray actuator can be used.

It should be emphasized that a critical feature of the present invention is the character of the foam which is the vehicle by which the adjuvant material is distributed to the clothing in the dryer. A foam is generally characterized as a coarse dispersion of a gas in a liquid in which the volume of the gas is considerably larger than that of the liquid. The nature of the foam formed is the consequence of many factors, the foaming nature of the adjuvant, or of the foam inducing additive (if the adjuvant is of the type which does not foam of itself), and the critical proportions of the ingredients employed, including solubilizers, propellants, and the like. The desirable foam of this invention is one which is stable, substantially form-sustaining, substantially non-penetrating, surface adherent and easily distributable. Typically, the characteristics of a foam may be assayed on a surface when the foamable solution is sprayed from an aerosol container at a distance of from about 12 to 24 inches from said surface at room temperature.

Stability and form sustentation of foam can be considered together. In eifect, foam stability has two aspects, foam drainage and persistence (sustentation). Thus, a foam may drain and become quite thin but may retain its structure. 'Foams also may collapse as a result of rupture of the foam structure. The foams of the instant invention have relatively slow drainage rates and retain their basic structure.

Foams useful in the present invention are non-penetrating; they tend to stay on the surface to which they are applied. Ifthey penetrate the clothing too quickly, good distribution is impossible.

On the other hand, the foam of the present invention must adhere to the surface with which it comes into con tact. As the clothing is tumbled in the dryer, the foam, which was originally sprayed on only the top layer of clothing, comes into contact with other clothing surfaces and a thin layer adheres to these new surfaces.

In general, the qualities of the foam, as defined above, should persist on the clothing surfaces contacted for at least that time required for the physical acts of applying the coating of foam on the clothing surfaces, closing the dryer, turning the dryer on and eflectuating the tumbling action therein. While this time period may vary somewhat according to the agility of the user, the manner of emplacement and type of dryer used, and the like, as a practical matter it is felt that the foam qualities outlined above should persist for at least about thirty seconds. The longer it takes for the surface applied foam to become unstable, lose its form, penetrate the clothing, etc. the better will be the resulting distributability within the dryer.

To carry out the method of the present invention, the foamable compositions disclosed above are sprayed onto the top layer of clothing in the dryer. The foam layer is usually evenly applied over essentially the entire top surface of the clothing load. The tumbling action of the dryer then provides the mechanism by which the remaining clothing comes into contact'with the foam which easily adheres to any material contacting it." im: .r-fiz: if

This invention is not to.-.be lim'ited to anyparticular method of preparing the above described aerosol composition. Any conventional means of uniformly mixing the components can be used.

The ingredients were cformulated'as indicated-in the following examples, where all percentages are by weight of total composition, unless otherwise indicated.

- Example I {At a temperature of about 175-210 -F.,' 43.0 parts water and 10.0 parts of-a fabric softener of dimethyl dihydrogenated tallow ammoniumfchloride were'mixed together. The mixture was then allowed to cool to ro'om temperature and'15.0 parts dichloromethane and 7.0 parts isopropyl alcohol'were then added. The resultant concentrate was -then loaded into a container. After removal "of air by evacuation or purging, the valve was crirnped and 25.0 parts propellant (Freon l2made by E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Co.) was pressure loaded.

The composition was then sprayed on the, top layerof a normal .clothingload (approximately 8 pounds) in a conventional clothes dryer..The drye'rgcycle was then run 25 *and completed. .When the clothing. was removed, it was determined that significant softening hadoccurred. The following examples indicate additional compositions which were formulated and then applied in the n n q .414 S /ar (na 114-1 3 nt ch t flu mthaqm.a- 210 E a le 1 Fabric cleaner: 7 Percent Sodium di(2-ethylhexyl) phosphate 5.. 'i. ."25.0 Water 62.0 coconut'monoethanolamide 3.0

Fabric soil repellant: Percent Potassium salt of peptidecoco fatty 'acid con- Exami Ethylene oxide condensate of phenol l .0

. Water 55.0 Isopropyl alcohol 10.0

Propellant (Freon l2) Example VII Fabric'color'brightener:"" j Percent Lauriediethanolamide"L"; ..;n;..' 10.0 5 Glycerine 20.0 Isopropyl alcoho ;n 10.0 Water e 1 50.0 Propellant (Freon 12) 10.0

" ExampleV-III Fabric color brightener: Percent 5 j. Sodium'alkyl sulfonate'n 10.0 Mineraloil 20.0 Isopropyl alcohol 10.0 I. -..Water I I 1 Propellant (Freon,l2) 10.0

Example'IX I Fabric-color brightener: Percent Dimethylamine sulfonate .I.;'. f 10.0 Paraffin"' 10.0 Isopropyl alcohol .LL 10.0 Water 50.0 Propellant (Freon,12 20.0

' Exa p X Fabric color brightener: Percent Acyl (coco fatty) amido ammonium sulfonic acid-betaine 10.0 Propylene glycol 20.0 Isopropyl alcohol 10.0 40 Water 50.0 Propellant (Freon 12) 10.0

100.0 Example'XI If. n f

= Fabriccolor.brightener: .1 1' Percent 1 Potassium salt of monoethyl phenyl phenol monosulfonate 10.0 Isopropyl myristate. 20.0 """I's'opropyl alcohol 10.0 Water 50.0 Propellant (Freon l2) 10.0

100.0 Example XII Fabricv color brightenerz Percent Sulfated castor oils 25.0 Water"""""""' I 62.0 Isopropyla1coho1- 3.0 Propellant Frauen 10.0

.. l v 100.0 Example XIII *Fabrieop rcal .brightener: I Percent Sodiumdodecyl benzene sulfonate 10.0 Stilbenetriazole 1.0

Water 60.0 Isopropyl alcohol 5.0 Propellant (Freonl2) 24.0

9 Example XXIX Fabric color dyes: Percent Dodccyl mercapto polyethylene glycol ether 10.0

Green dye: sodium salt of dibenzyldiethyldiamino-triphenylcarbinol disulphonic acid A series of tests was run to determine the distribution of the compositions of the foregoing examples in the dryer. To illustrate such distribution each of the test samples was treated as follows:

The composition to be tested was sprayed in a circle pattern on a piece of cloth which was then subjected to the drying cycle. The degree of ring distortion was thereupon examined and given a designation according to the degree of distortion effected. This value, the ring distortion value is hereinafter referred to as the RDV.

An RDV of 3 indicates the presence of an obvious ring and hence essentially no distribution. An RDV of 2 indicates noticeable distribution of the ring but a definite ring pattern is still obvious; the degree of distribution therefore was limited. An RDV of 1 indicates a slight trace of a ring pattern and hence a significant degree of distribution.

In the practice of this invention, an RDV of 1 represents the most desirable degree of distribution within the dryer deemed necessary for a commercially effective product. An RDV of 2 is less desirable but is still within the parameters of the subject invention since it is evidence of some meaningful distribution. An RDV of 3 represents no distribution and hence compositions effecting this result do not come within the context of the subject invention.

All of the above examples produced ring distortion values of 1 or 2.

The foregoing examples and discussion describe a foamable composition which is dispensed from an aerosol container. It is possible, however, within the scope of the present invention, to use a mechanical hand pump actuated container to dispense the composition. Under such conditions, it is not necessary to have a propellant present, as the mechanical action of the pump forcibly aerates the composition causing it to foam. Because the propellant is no longer present, the composition comprises by weight of the total composition (a) from about 1.0 to 30.0 percent of an adjuvant material, (b) from about 7-0.0 to 99.0 percent of a solubilizer and (c) from to about 30.0

percent of a foaming agent. The same ingredients discussed above could be used in this manner.

Although the present invention has been described with reference to particular embodiments and examples, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that variations and modifications of this invention can be made.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A method of treating clothing articles with an adjuvant material which comprises contacting at least a portion of said clothing articles with an easily distributable foam containing said adjuvant material, said foam being surface adherent for at least about thirty seconds, and subjecting said foam-contacted clothing to a tumbling, dry-heat, anhydrous environment.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said environment is a clothes dryer.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said foam is stable, substantially form-sustaining, substantially nonpenetrating, surface adherent and easily distributable.

4. A method of treating clothing articles in a clothes dryer with an adjuvant material which comprises the steps of (A) contacting at least a portion of said clothing articles with a. stable, substantially form-sustaining, substantially nonpenetrating, surface adherent, and easily distributable foam, said foam comprising, by weight of the total composition, (a) from about 1.0 to 30.0 percent of said adjuvant material, (b) from about 50.0 to 94.0 percent of a solubilizer, (c) from about 5.0 to 25.0 percent of a propellant, and (d) from 0 to 30.0 of a foaming agent, and (B) subjecting said clothing articles to a tumbling action in a dry heat, substantially anhydrous environment.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the foam comprises by weight of the total composition (a) from about 5.0 to 25.0 percent adjuvant, (b) from about to percent solubilizer, and (e) the balance propellant.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the solubilizer comprises a member selected from the group consisting of water, isopropyl alcohol and dichloromethane and mixtures thereof.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein the propellant is a member selected from the group consisting of dichlorodirfluoromethane and dichlorotetrafluoroethane and mixtures thereof.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,023,013 12/1935 Faber et al 8-149.1 X 2,205,042 6/ 1940 'Lenher et al. 116-3955 F 2,655,480 10/ 1953 Spitzer et al. 252-305 X 3,442,692 5/ 1969 Gaiser 117-120 3,632,396 1/1972 Perez-Zamora 117-1395 CQ 2,846,776 8/1958 Clark 34-133 X 3,501,335 3/1970 Calm et al. 117-1395 C'Q 3,650,816 3/ 1972 Rudy et al 117-109 FOREIGN PATENTS 2,021,561 5/ 1970 Germany.

WILLIAM D. MARTIN, Primary Examiner T. G. DAVIS, Assistant Examiner US. 'Cl. X.R. 111-109, 120

Notice of Adverse Decision in Interference In Interference No. 98,815, involving Patent No. 3,796,599, J. H. McLaughlin, METHOD OF TREATING CLOTHES IN A CLOTHES DRYER WITH A FOAM CONTAINING AN ADJUVANT MATERIAL, final judgmgnt adverse to the patentee Was rendered Jan. 10, 1978, as to claims I, 6 and [Oyficz'al Gazette July 4, 1978.] 

